Timothy D. Bellavia

Timothy Bellavia (born 1971) is an American children's author, illustrator, and educator. Timothy is best known for his education research through his We Are All The Same Inside® children’s book series and accompanying Sage doll.

Bellavia was born May 1, 1971 in Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester and earned an MFA from Pratt Institute. He then lived in New York working as an artist, a runway model for alternative fashions, an actor on a cable soap opera, and even had a stint as a backup dancer for Cyndi Lauper, before landing a job as a curator at the Tenement Museum on the lower East Side. Timothy is currently an Assistant Professor of the Graduate School of Education at Touro College and University System in New York City.

• Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture fellowship grant - 1997
• Christopher Award nomination, Best Children’s Book - 2001
• Principal for a Day - April 19, 2002
• Young Adult Institute - 2004
• Lambda Literary Foundation nomination - 2009
• Outstanding Educator of the Year, Education Update - 2016
• FCCA Space Grant, Smithsonian Affiliate - 2016
• Abundant Heart Award, 38th Annual Flushing Town Hall Gala Smithsonian Affiliate - 2017
• Dean's Annual Outstanding Educator of the Year Award, Touro College - 2017

The T.I.M.M.-E. Company. Inc. (Tolerance in Multi Media Education) was founded in 2000 by Bellavia to promote peace, tolerance and acceptance. The T.I.M.M.-E. Company, Inc. is the publisher of We Are All The Same Inside and has developed an early childhood human diversity school curriculum with tolerance-teaching dolls featured in Bellavia’s children’s picture books. In 2003, Bellavia presented his curriculum at the United Nations on the International day of Tolerance in co-operation with on the Anti Defamation League and the We Are Family Foundation. The theme of his address was Educating Our Children For A Safer World. His presentation to the UN Council was also later broadcast by Court TV/Tru TV.

The T.I.M.M.-E. Company. Inc. has conductedworkshops in conjunction with the New York City Department of Education to teach tolerance to New York City’s school children while integrating the arts into the literacy curriculum. Continuing a partnership that began in 2004 with Sesame Reads Annual Literacy Day,in September 2007 the T.I.M.M.-E. Company, Inc. participated in celebrating the 105th anniversary of CLC (The Children's Learning Center) in Stamford, Connecticut. The highlight of the event was an appearance by Rosita, Abby Cadabby and some Honkers. Other Sesame Workshop speakers included the award-winning animator Jim Jinkins, creator of Global Thingy and Pinky Dinky Doo.

We Are All The Same Inside is a 2000 children's picture book by Timothy Bellavia, which earned a Christopher Award nomination for Best Children's Picture Book.

2010 marked the tenth anniversary publication of We Are All The Same Inside and the Sage doll-making workshop. A special 10th anniversary version of the book was released in 2010. The reissued picture book featured paper doll patterns, teacher curriculum, a 10-year chronology, and rare photographs. To commemorate the anniversary, singer, songwriter and former Motown Records producer Sherlie Matthewsco-wrote and co-produced a special children's multi-track compact disc. The Brooklyn Historical Society hosted a We Are all the Same Inside workshop on October 24, 2010.